Photographic tank reel



, F. M. MORGAN Erm. 2,400,943

PHOTOGRAPHIC vTNK REEL Original Filed Oct. 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS FRANK M. MORGAN AND STANLEY WALLACE ATTORNEY F. M. MORGAN r-:rAL 2,400,943 PHOTOGRAPHIC TANK REEL u Original Filed Oct. 5, 1939 2 Speets-Sheet 2 INVENroRs FRANK M. MORGAN BY Y n AND STANLEY` WALLACE 60",' fr l/ ATTORNEY Patented May 28, 1946 I Frank M. Morgan, Glen Ill., assignors to Sears, Roe- Wallace, Chicago,

Ellyn, and Stanley buck and Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Original application October 5, 1939, Serial No. 297,976, now Patent No. 2,344,998, dated March 28, `1944. Divided and t 25, 1944, Serial N0. 528,018

` Claims.

This is a division of our application, 297,976, led October 5, 1939, entitled Photographic tank, now U. S. Patent No. 2,344,998, issued March 28, 1944.

Our invention relates to photographic tanks for developing and other operations in the processing of roll lm and is especially designed for use by amateurs.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a photographic tank reel which affords rapid and facile adjustability for accommodating various nlm widths, which will efliciently and securely hold various types of lm reels during diverse processing operations, and which may be manufactured economically of inexensive material.

Various other objects and advantages will suggest themselves as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of our invention:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a photographic tank illustrating our improved adjustable reel applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of our adjustable reel removed from its tank container and having the reel anges spaced apart to accommodate a particular width of lm; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 with mid-portions broken away;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan sectional view of the integral ange having certain features of our invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view taken approximately on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail View of a modiiied form of reel agitating key;

Figs, 8 to 10 are fragmentary detail plan views of alternative forms of lm latching structures applicable to various types of reels;

Fig. 11 is a' fragmentary plan view of the reel apparatus viewed in the same manner as Fig. 5; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view featuring a modied form of structure from that illustrated in Fig. 11;

i Figs. 13 and 14 are developed sectional views on lines I3-I3 and I 4-I4 of Figs. 11 and 12, respectively; and

Fig. l5 is an enlarged detail sectional view veloped along the line I5-I 5 of Fig. 5.

The numeral IIl indicates generally a tank of a size suitable for the processing of roll nlm and his application March Serial No.

having a cylindrical side wall iI and an elevated bottom I2 with a depressed central portion I3 therein. The side Vwall II terminates at the top in a U-shaped portion I5 comprising anges I5a. and I5b separated by a channel I6.

We provide a closure means or cover IB comprising a circular top wall I9 having a depressed cup-like portion 2U in the central portion thereof, the lat'ter having a cylindrical downwardly extending ilange 2l. The cover has a cylindrical side wall 23 which extends within the flange I5a of the tank wall I I. The cover is also provided with a circular iiange 25 which extends within the channel I6, and an outer rim portion 26 which seats outside of the flange of the tank. The flange 26 is connected tothe Wall portion 23 of the cover by means of an annular web 2T, a slot 28 being provided in the latter in registry with the channel I 6 to serve as a pouring spout. As shown in Fig. 2, sufficient clearance is provided between the various elements of the closure adjacent the spout 28 to permit-the passage of iiuid.

The arrangement of the closure elements is such that the passage of light into the interior or" the tank is effectively prevented.L

The film retaining reel forming a part of our invention includes a pair of cooperating elements 44 and 4I. The part 40 comprises a hollow-spindle 42 which, as seen best in Figs. 1 and 5, is of an irregular hexagonal shape on the outside and has integral feet 43 extending into the well formed by the depressed portion I3 of the tank, the feet 43 being spaced apart and formed on a periphery permitting passage of. fluid from the interior of the spindle 42 into the tank space 43. Integral with the spindle 42 is a disc 44 which may be provided with reinforcing ribs 45 and has a spiral iiange 45 formed on the upper portion thereof,

vthus forming a spiral groove 41 within which a lm F may be seated.

'I'he upper reel part 4I comprises a sleeve portion 48 which, as shown best in'Figs. l and 2, is of an eccentric hexagonal shape conforming. to that of the spindle 42 and adapted to slide thereover. It will be understood, of course, that the spindle 42 and sleeve 48 may be of any eccentric shape so that they may be interfitted in only one relation. The purpose of this will appear shortly.

The sleeve 48 is slotted at 49 to seat a spring clip 50 formed oflwire or the like, the seated portion 53 of the clip 50 extending inward and resiliently engaging selectively in any one of a series of recesses or grooves 55 which are provided at spaced intervals along the spindle 42. The grooves 55 are provided at denite intervals corresponding to the widths of standard roll film, so that the part 4I may be adjusted to any one of several fixed positions along the spindle 42, and the reel may thus be adjusted to accommodate a desired size of film.

Integral with the sleeve 48 is a disc 51 which is provided with a spiral rib 58 and associated groove 59 corresponding to the rib 46 and groove 41, respectively, of the lower disc.

As seen in Figs. 3, 5, is provided with an ear 60 adjacent which is a lug 6l dening therewith a peripheral gate or opening 62 through which film may be fed into or removed from the spiral groove 41. It will now be seen that the two parts 40 and 4I should be fitted together in only a certain relation, in order that the gates S2 may register so that the lm may be conveniently inserted and removed through both gates simultaneously. The lug 6I serves as a stop or abutment to check escape of the outer end F' of the film F. rIhe film-end engaging face of each lug may be at substantially a right angle to the end of the film as shown in Fig. 5. If desired, the lug may be omitted from one of the discs, as shown in Fig. .3, the other lug being relied upon to check the outer end F of the film.

Instead of arranging the lug at substantially a right angle to the outer end Ff of the film F, the lug maybe at an acute angle as shown at Gla in Fig. 8, or in the form of a hook as at 6119 independently of the rib H6 as shown in Fig. 9. Or, if desired, the lug could be omitted from each disc and the projection 60a formed with an oiset b against which the outer end of the film is adapted to abut, as shown in Fig. 1G.

The discs 44 and 51 are provided with slots 53 to promote rapid flow of the liquid to the lm.

The spindle i12 is provided with a neck 55 having a square or other non-circular opening 66 therein for the purpose of receiving an agitating rod 61 having a correspondingly shaped end portion 68 adapted to engage in the opening 66. In the form shownin Fig. 1, the stirring rod may be solid, having an enlarged handle portion 69 which may be knurled as at 10.

In another form, shown in Fig. '1, the agitator rod 12 is hollow and shaped at the end portion 13 to engage in the neck 65 and may have a knurled portion 15. knurled portion is a nipple 16 adapted to engage the end of a hose 11. This type of agitator may be employed for washing av film in the tank after it has been processed, the hose 11 being con- Also, a thermometer L nected to a tap or the like. (not shown) may be inserted into the hollow rod when desired to check the temperature of the solution in the tank.

A modified reel disc construction is shown in Figs. 11 to 14, wherein the bottom surface 8|] of the spiral groove 8l of each ree1 disc 82 or of only the lower disc is circumferentially crowned as at 84 so that only the peaks 85 of said surfaces engage the upper and lower edges F" (or the lower edge) of the lm F, thereby substituting a series of substantially point contacts for the line contact which obtains when said surfaces are at, so as to minimize friction. Since in practice suicient clearance between the discs is afforded to obviate binding of the edges of the film, it follows that because of gravity the brunt of the engagement of the lm will be at the lower disc, so that if desired only the film-edge engaging groove ybottom surfaces on the lower disc need be crowned.

11 and 12, each of the discs,

Extending beyond the:

With a View to still further minimizing engagement of the film by the reel, each or merely the lower disc may be formed with the inner face 81 of the rib 88, undulating circumferentially as shown in Figs. 12 and 14, providing lateral peaks or crests 90 affording a series of substantially point contacts with the outer side edge portions of the film F. These peaks may be located in register with or in any other desired relation to the floor peaks 85.

It is believed that the operation of the device Y described above will be readily apparent. The

' light, if desired, and

two parts l0 and 4l of the ree1 having been fitted together and adjusted to receive lrn of the desired size, the lm will be fed into the reel through the openings 62 and into the registered spiral grooves of the reel discs, the reel then seated in the tank and the latter closed by securing the cover to the body. This operation, of course, will take place in the darkroom. After the cover is applied, the device may be taken into the daythe developing fluid will be poured into the tank through the cup-shaped portion 2i! and withdrawn by pouring it out of the spout 28. In the course of the development, the rod 61 or 12 will be arranged as shown in Fig. 1 and the ree1 rotated thereby to impart the desired amount of agitation. At the completion of the various steps of the processing, the cover may be removed and the film washed in any desired manner with or without the cover in place. A hose from the tap may be `connected to the hollow stirring rod of Fig. 7 with the cover in place, for the washing operation.

All parts of the apparatus may be molded out of Bakelite or other suitable plastic which is irnmune to the reagents of photographic processing with the exception of the resilient clip 5D, and

this element also may be of such metal or other substance as is inert to such materials. It thus will be seen that we have provided a device which is simple, convenient, readily adjustable, and which has many advantages over devices of this type previously known.

Various modifications and changes coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and, hence, we do not wish to be limited to the specic forms shown or uses mentioned.

We claim:

1. An axially adjustable reel comprising a pair ofk cooperating plates adapted to receive therebetween a strip of film, a spindle attached to one of said plates, a sleeve attached to the other plate and telescopically receiving said spindle, said spindle having a plurality of recesses spaced longitudinally thereof, said sleeve being apertured transverse to the axis thereof, and a resilient member clasping said sleeve and having a portion extending inward through the transverse aperture in said sleeve and selectively engageable in any one of said recesses.

2. An adjustable reel for holding roll film in tank developers, comprising a pair of opposite circular plate members having their corresponding faces helically grooved, one of said members having a hollow perpendicular polyhedral spindle and the other of said members having a polyhedral bushing adapted to slide over said spindle, said spindle having a plurality of spaced transverse notches on one of its surfaces and said bushing having an opening through which a spring element protrudes for engaging the notches of said spindle in springable detenting cooperation whereby adjustment is afforded by sliding said bushing into various notch-engaging positions of said spindle.

3. A roll nlm supporting reel for developing tanks, comprising a pair of disk elements formed with helically grooved corresponding face surfaces in symmetrically opposite patterns, a hollow spindle integral withone of said disk elements of polygonal cross-section and provided with spaced shallow notchings on one of its polygonal surfaces, a bushing integral with the other one of said disk elements having an internal opening corresponding to the polygonal crosssection for slidable movement thereupon, and a resilient detent member comprising a spring ringlet of round wire formed with an inwardly directed sinuosity for extending through an opening in said bushing to exerta retentive pressure upon any of said notchings for thereby maintaining predetermined spaced relationship between said disk elements.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, in which said helical grooves are of inverse scalloped contour so as to CFI aiord point contact only with n the edges of roll lm positioned between said disk elements.

5. A roll iilm supporting reel for use in developing tanks comprising a pair of disk elements formed with symmetrically opposite helical ridges with the intervening spaces between said ridges inversely scalloped so as to afford point contact only with roll lm supported therein, a hollow'spinolle integral with one of said disk elements provided with a plurality ofpredetermined surface notchings, a bushing integral with the other one of said disk elements having an opening therein, and a resilient detent member comprising a spring ringlet encircling said bushing and having a sinuosity for extending through saidV opening to engage one or another of the notchings of said spindle for thereby adjusting the spaced relationship between said disk elements to accommodate various widths of roll film.

FRANK M. MORGAN. STANLEY WALLACE. 

